Friday, August 10, 2012

Three young artists in Russia -- known by the collective name Pussy Riot -- have been tried and are now awaiting sentencing on a charge of hooliganism. The offense arises from their performance of a song -- a song, mind you -- and carries a potential punishment of seven years' imprisonment.

As someone who has been imprisoned for asserting freedom of speech as a vehicle of social transformation, my heart goes out to these three courageous young women. I have been where they are sitting, and I know what is involved.

It is said that their song offended the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. President Putin is held in considerable esteem by the Russian Buddhist community, and indeed, the world Buddhist community at large. It is known that President Putin has considerable reciprocal respect for Buddhism, and that he has been specially honored with recognition by Russia's Vajrayana Buddhist community in particular. As a general proposition, it is fair to say that Buddhists worldwide support feminism, freedom of expression, and constructive social activism. Clearly, there is some breakdown in communication here.

Please, President Putin...with all respect... use your powers to let these women go free.

Wasn't part of the issue that they performed the song in an Orthodox church, disrupting the liturgy and pissing off the worshippers? Seven years is excessive to be sure, but certainly some sort of charge seems fair...

These fresh punk rockers want freedom of expression..The hypocrisy of regimes stings the young who newly see it, especially those who beginning to comprehend that they are marginalized and what that will mean for them and those like them.. They'rejust passionate, even wild and hit a nerve with their epithets. .They're getting whipped harrd now for it but the world is watching with growing compassion--check youtube for the sea of posts from around the world. Must prayfor them and their captors some more...PR need food, water, health care, sleep--immediately!

Putin cannot win this one . . . the world at large sees him, now, for exactly what he is: an egocentric tyrant, foolishly trying to protect his tarnished image. He has lost his most important attribute: his dignity.

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